The Awesome Benefits of Cardio

The second you start to Zumba, your heart begins beating progressively faster, pumping out more blood with each squeeze. Then it revs to about 160 to 180 beats per minute (60 to 80 at rest) during seriously strenuous bouts, like HIIT moves. The stronger your heart, the more blood it pumps when it contracts, which in turn lowers your resting heart rate—that way, it doesn't have to work as hard when you're not exercising. And a fitter ticker equals a healthier body.